The present invention relates to an airbag apparatus that protects an occupant from an impact by deploying and inflating an airbag at a position close to the occupant seated in a vehicle seat when an impact due to, for example, a collision is applied to the vehicle.
An airbag apparatus is effective for protecting an occupant from an impact when an impact due to, for example, a collision is applied to an automobile. One known form of the airbag apparatus includes an elongated gas generator and an airbag. The gas generator extends along an axis and elects inflating gas. The airbag is inflated by inflation gas ejected from the gas generator.
The gas generator has a pair of mounting protrusions for mounting the gas generator to a vehicle. The mounting protrusions protrude from the outer circumference of the gas generator in the same direction that is orthogonal to the axis of the gas generator.
The main part of the airbag is constituted by a main fabric portion. The main fabric portion is folded in half along a fold line set in the center in the width direction. The peripheral portions of the folded main fabric portion are sewn together.
The airbag apparatus disclosed in German Patent Application Publication No. 102010032175 includes an auxiliary fabric portion superposed on the fold line of a main fabric portion. In the main fabric portion and the auxiliary fabric portion, an insertion port for inserting a gas generator is provided in a section across the fold line. The main fabric portion and the auxiliary fabric portion have a mounting hole located on the leading side of the insertion port in the insertion direction of the gas generator.
Although German Patent Application Publication No. 102010032175 has no description regarding a gas generator, a gas generator is inserted in the airbag through the insertion port when installed in the airbag. It is presumed that one of the mounting protrusions of the gas generator is passed through the mounting hole, and the other mounting protrusion is passed through part of the insertion port that is located on the leading side in the insertion direction of the gas generator.
Further, the airbag apparatus disclosed in German Patent Application Publication No. 102010032175 has a sewn portion in the main fabric portion and the auxiliary fabric portion. The sewn portion is located in a region between the mounting hole and a section that is away from and on the leading side of the insertion port in the insertion direction of the gas generator. The sewn portion reinforces the region of the main fabric portion and the auxiliary fabric portion.
A structure that allows for easy insertion of a gas generator is desired in an airbag apparatus of the type in which a gas generator is inserted into the airbag through an insertion port as described above. However, German Patent Application Publication No. 102010032175 does not particularly give consideration to structures for facilitating insertion of the gas generator through the insertion port.
It is also possible to make the sewn portion function to open the insertion port. This is because the stiffness around the sewn portion of the main fabric portion and the auxiliary fabric portion is increased, and the sewn portion is located in a section across the fold line, along which the main fabric portion is folded in half. Opening to the insertion port is accomplished through the portion of the increased stiffness returning to the fiat state from the folded state. However, as described above, the sewn portion is located in a region between the mounting hole and the section that is away from and on the leading side of the insertion port in the insertion direction. Therefore, if the sewn portion were caused to function to open the insertion port, no great effect would be expected.